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Wetland Project for Certification

Determine if man made items can duplicate the functions of 1 square mile of fresh water riparian tidal marsh in a heavily urbanized area. The marsh floods with normal tides to a depth of 1 meter, but during floods can absorb a depth of 2 meters without overflowing to the surrounding homes. At low tide the marsh loses almost all water. (This is the marsh along the Anacostia River in Washington, DC. if you want to see the marsh the project is based on.) To do this:

Determine the functions of the marsh from the case study and functions section of the material.

Try and find man made items that would serve those same functions.

Go to stores near you and determine how many of these items would be needed to build a square mile and their price.

Give the cost of your man made alternatives in a budget that lists the items, the function they match in a natural wetland, how many of each would be needed to match the 1 square mile, and a cost per item.

List any functions performed by tidal fresh water marshes you were not able to match with man made items.

Send your budget to Education Coordinator, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1900 Anacostia Dr. SE, Washington, DC. Your assessment will be evaluated and you will be given feedback and a certificate if your budget is reasonable. If you have question, feel free to call the park at (202) 426-6905 and leave a name and number and the education specialist will return your call.